It is known to produce milk beverages from a milk concentrate and, indeed, the use of skimmed milk powders to whiten coffee beverages is commonplace. Such milk powders serve to provide a milk beverage on reconstitution with water and are often used in beverage preparation machines to provide a convenient source of milk for a consumer looking to reproduce café-style beverages at home. For example, it is known to provide beverage capsules containing a mixture of coffee powder and a milk powder which can be dissolved to provide a Latte beverage.
It is also known to provide a liquid dairy ingredient for use in such beverage preparation systems. For example, EP1676786 describes the use of a concentrated liquid milk ingredient which can be used to provide a milk beverage. In particular, it is an aim of EP1676786 to provide a foamed milk beverage and it was discovered that the use of a liquid ingredient encouraged foam production compared to a reconstituted powder ingredient.
GB1526862 relates to long life milk products with a reduced tendency to feather in coffee.
EP0788744 relates to a delactosed milk and milk powder and foodstuffs containing the same. The milk contains less than 2% lactose.
WO03090545 relates to a method of processing milk involving separating milk into a cream and a skim, separating the skim into a protein enriched retentate and a permeate, removing the permeate, separating the protein enriched retentate into a concentrate and an effluent, removing the effluent, and blending the cream and the concentrate to form a concentrated slurry having a standard ratio of protein to fat.
US2011/086156 relates to cream substitutes comprising: a cheese curd, a water source, and a combination of gums that provide the cream substitute the texture of a thick cream, and/or stability against oil separation.
ES2364468 relates to a concentrate prepared from milk, having a fat content of 10-20% by weight, a solids content of 30-45% by weight and a viscosity at 20° C. of 50-2000 cP.
EP0455288 relates to whippable non-dairy creams with low fat levels (15-25 wt %).
WO2008/026940 relates to a calcium depleted milk protein concentrates for stabilising foods.
WO2004017743 relates to a method for producing a food product from a concentrated protein.
WO9834495 relates to a higher density foamable instant coffee product.
WO2010005297 relates to a foaming composition.